Simplify

I move dirty dishes to the dishwasher. Clothes from the washer to the dryer. Crumbs from the floor to the dustpan.

Whether it’s dishes, toys, kids, or dirt I’m moving something from one place to another from sunrise to sunset. I go to bed knowing that everything is in it’s proper place. Then morning comes and I begin all over again.

Since all things in the universe obey the Laws of Thermodynamics, I’m fighting a losing battle. I can’t defy the rules of nature. Everything is constantly moving toward a state of disorder. It’s physics, plain and simple. So why am I fighting a force greater than myself?

Maintaining order in my home means going toe-to-toe with Mother Nature, who enforces the Laws of Physics like it’s her job. She is too strong and too stubborn for me to defeat. I may win an occasional battle but She’s going to win the war.

HOWEVER…I’ve made a discovery. I have a new weapon to add to my arsenal. It may be impossible to out-muscle Mother Nature, but I can outwit her with this one word:

SIMPLIFY.

The less stuff my family owns the less mess there is to clean. The Mt. Everest pile of laundry is reduced to a moderate Pikes Peak. Less owned means less to move.

If my physical world is full of clutter then I am stressed, overwhelmed, and busy with the needless maintenance of all my stuff. This means less time with my family. Less time being creative. More things needing my attention.

There will always be dirt to move. There will always be clothes to transfer from the washer to the dryer. There will always be Mother Nature and physics and the Laws of Thermodynamics. I accept that.

What I do not accept is a life ruled by clutter, stress, and running in circles as I move this pile from here to there and that item from upstairs to downstairs.

So rather than declaring war on Mother Nature, I will outwit her and declare war on STUFF.

Today I simplify.

Tomorrow I will enjoy the fruits of simplicity, which are peace and rest.

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” —Hans Hofmann